NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A man has been arrested for allegedly setting 14 garbage fires in Manhattan, including one that destroyed a Chelsea eatery’s outdoor dining area, according to reports.
Alex Blodgett, 39, is accused of setting a fire outside Loulou Petit Bistro & Speakeasy, a French eatery at the corner of West 19th Street and Eighth Avenue, early Monday morning, the New York Post reported, citing information from police.
Blodgett has also been accused of setting 13 other garbage fires in Manhattan, the outlet reported.
Loulou’s owner, Mathias Van Leyden, told the outlet he plans to rebuild the outdoor dining area and fix the facade of the restaurant, which was also damaged.
“Opened this restaurant three weeks before the pandemic,” he said. “We survived and thrived during the pandemic. This is not going to stop me.”
Blodgett’s attorney information wasn’t immediately available Monday.